MADRID, Feb 14: One more minute and Espanyol’s 13-year winless streak against crosstown rival Barcelona in the Spanish league would finally be over.
Sixty more seconds and its 23-match winless run against the Spanish powerhouse would finally come to an end.
But Espanyol couldn’t stop a goal by Luuk de Jong in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, and had to settle for a 2-2 draw Sunday that extended its unsuccessful run in the Catalan derby.
The draw came as a relief for Barcelona but halted its good run after consecutive league victories against Alavés and defending champion Atlético Madrid.
The result was enough to move the Catalan club past Atlético and back into fourth place in the final Champions League spot. It is 15 points behind league leader Real Madrid with a game in hand.
Espanyol, sitting in 13th place, hasn’t beaten Barcelona in the league since February 2009.
Espanyol is winless in its last five league games.
De Jong netted the equalizer with a header from the middle of the area after a long cross by Adama Traoré as the game neared its end.
Barcelona had taken an early lead with Pedri González scoring from close range after a cross by Jordi Alba two minutes into the match at RCDE Stadium. The hosts equalized in the 40th with a shot from outside the area by Sergi Darder.
Barcelona thought it had gone ahead when Gavi Páez found the net early in the second half, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
It was Espanyol that took the lead about 10 minutes later, with Raúl de Tomás netting the go-ahead goal after a nice long pass by Darder.
Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué and Espanyol midfielder Nico Melamed were sent off in stoppage time after getting into an altercation.
Levante vs Real Betis
Real Betis strengthened its hold on third place with a 4-2 win at last-place Levante, with Nabil Fekir scoring twice and Edgar González and William Carvalho adding a goal each to secure Manuel Pellegrini’s team its seventh win in its last nine matches in all competitions.
The win left Betis seven points behind city rival Sevilla and 11 behind Madrid. Betis has a four-point gap to fourth-place Atlético.
Daniel Gómez scored both goals for Levante, which had striker Roberto Soldado sent off in the 74th. The club from Valencia has lost six of its last seven league matches, including three in a row.
Alavés vs Valencia
Valencia’s winless streak in the league reached six matches after a 2-1 loss at relegation-threatened Alavés.
Joselu’s 76th-minute penalty kick gave the hosts their second win in three matches.
Mamadou Loum N’Diaye opened the scoring for Alavés in the 14th before Gonçalo Guedes equalized in the 62nd.
Real Sociedad vs Granada
Real Sociedad beat Granada 2-0 for its second win in its last 10 league matches. Mikel Oyarzabal and Rafinha scored a goal in each half to allow the Basque Country team to move within a point of fifth-place Atlético. (AP)
